If you haven't gotten the memo yet, Jon Sumrall isn't playing around when it comes to building a powerhouse coaching staff. The new Gators coach has already hit on both coordinators and has continued to build on that with his position coach hires.
Now Sumrall is targeting Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein for an assistant role, presumably to handle the Gators offensive line. The move would bring Trautwein back to Gainesville, where he was the starting left tackle for the Gators on their BCS Championship teams in 2006 and 2008.
Florida has interviewed former #Gators two-time All-SEC OT and Penn State OL coach Phil Trautwein for an assistant coaching position on Jon Sumrall's staff, multiple sources told @Swamp_247.https://t.co/UzvhHUoF0h
— Zach Goodall (@zach_goodall) December 10, 2025
Trautwein has put guys in the league
Trautwein was an All-SEC performer with the Gators in 2008 and toiled around the NFL for a few seasons as an undrafted free agent, mostly moving from practice squad to practice squad. From there, he got into coaching as a GA at Boston College under his former position coach Steve Addazio.
He had a stop at FCS Davidson before going back to Boston College as the Eagles' offensive line coach, where he had an integral part in developing Chris Lindstrom, who was the first-round pick (14th overall) for the Atlanta Falcons.
In 2020, he was hired for the same position at Penn State under James Franklin. Trautwein has had several players get drafted during his six years with the Nittany Lions. The most notable of the bunch is offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, who was the 11th overall pick by the New York Jets in the 2024 Draft.
Trautwein also had a major role in the development of players like center Juice Scruggs, a second-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2023 and tackles Rasheed Walker and Caeden Wallace, who were drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots respectively.
Sumrall is making sweeping changes
If there were any concerns that Sumrall was going to have a similar approach to Billy Napier when it comes to hiring, those should be quelled by now. The hiring of Buster Faulkner and Brad White at the coordinator positions show that he values experience at the Power 4 level.
Bringing Trautwein in continues that approach. He has significant experience coaching at a high-profile program that made the CFP semifinals last year, and he's developed players that were high draft picks in the NFL.